• Make Sabatini’s + Sterlings Dinner Reservations  
• Get flowers for the cabin at La Gran Marche 
• Book Spa Appointments (particularly for Sea Days + Formal Nights)
• Order Room Service Breakfast for Tahaa Scenic Cruising Morning  
• Check your Dining Time & Seating location, requesting any changes
• Check your Shore Excursion tickets for accuracy

• If you are open to an upgrade, or conversely do NOT want an upgrade, notify your Travel Agent or Princess accordingly so this info is recorded on your account.  To ensure you do NOT get upgraded an NUP code must be put on your account. 

• When filling out embarkation docs, NOTE:  Look for a small box (with very fine print) on pg 2 or 3 of your real cruise docs (the little blue book).  It says: 
  
  

  "If my credit card was issued outside the US, my account   will be converted and settled in  the currency of my card.  The details of the currency conversion are contained in   my ticket contract.   Check here______ if I do not want my account converted."

  
  Check that box if you DO NOT want your bill converted into your ‘home’ currency.  Whether it is/is not to your advantage will depend upon the prevailing exchange rates at the time of your trip.  On the last morning of your cruise, you will receive a print-out of your on-board account. All amounts are in USD. Let's say the total is $1000. If you've checked the little box beforehand, the comments will say that $1000 have been charged to CC number XXXX XXX XXX XXX. When this comes through on your credit card, the bank will make the exchange calculation and you will be billed in Canadian Dollars.
  If you didn't check the box, and your card has been issued by a Canadian Bank (they can tell by the first 4 numbers who/where the card is issued) then your bill will still show the total is $1000, and in the comments it will say $1000 @ 1.45 = CAD 1450. As this charge is now in Canadian Dollars, when the item comes through on your credit card statement, it will just show as CAD $1450.  Princess’s “standard rate of xchange” is 1.45.  If I want my account charged in US funds, I check in the space provided. The international exchange rate on your MC/Visa/Amex will not be on the card itself. Check with your credit card company(s) prior to your departure to obtain the rate currently in use.  

• If you have a post-cruise stay planned, head down to the onboard Duty Free Liquor store and you can take your purchase back to your room with you. Helps cut down on the cost of those $15.00 drinks at the hotels.

• Tahaa scenic cruising the next morning is on the starboard side of the ship.  Generally you have the best views on the Cook Islands Itinerary thru booking cabins on the Starboard rather than the Port side of the ship.

• Find out if there are Scholarship @ Sea courses???  

• We got to the ship around 2:30. Fastest check-in ever. No pictures though since we were apparently there before they set up the photo props. We went straight to our room. Our luggage was there within 30mins. Our room was 6070. It was absolutely wonderful. Had a great balcony with 2 chairs and a small table. Quiet room, no motion, and was 1 floor above the dining room and 1 floor below the laundry room. Very close to the elevator too. Our room steward, Ernesto was very attentive. Had fresh fruit waiting for us and put a mattress pad on our bed (Ask for this thru faxing Princess ahead of time or asking your room steward on arrival.) The mattress pad made our trip. I hate hard beds and this was the most comfortable bed I'd ever slept in on a ship. The room was nicely laid out and there was more than enough space for everything we had. There was not enough hangers, but we had brought an iron so that wasn't a problem. (Again - one can ask the room steward for more hangers if needed.) The view from our room was awesome. We had several sunsets and sunrises too. I would tell you girls to bring your own hair dryer. The one provided is for VERY short hair only. The TV programs were pretty much non-existent. Of course we didn't watch TV much anyway so it really didn't bother us that much. 

• You can order room service - they have great cookies. I ordered a full plate of 12 each morning to carry on our tours. I just carried a lot of zip lock bags. The soda card is well worth the money if you like coke products and drink a lot of pop.

• Chinese or Asian day was one of the best lunch buffets. The egg guy was great every morning ~ omelets, scrambled or fried...all done just right. Burgers and fries were great everyday and the pizza was delicious. 

• The first Princess Patter lists the dining hours. The buffet is open 11:30 to 2:30 and 5:15 to 11:00 PM, but it is not open all night -- but room service is. Their buffet seems to peter out during the end of the cruise and there is little but coffee & pastries after 8:00 PM BUT the pizzeria remains open and the pizza is very good. You can get a slice or a whole pizza but you have to go and pick it up (and can eat it there).
• We did the buffet for breakfast and lunch just about everyday and found the food really quite good. One day there was bowls and bowls of non stop prawns.........Ribs were excellent (can't remember which day) Sushi...well it left a bit to be desired.
• The buffet (the first day) left a lot to be desired, but with the people leaving and the new ones coming on board we figured this was the reason for the quality of the food.  

• Muster was at 4:30 (that is the time everyone is supposed to be back on the ship sail away day). We had to go to the dining room, life jackets in tow . . . they will actually start paging you if you are not where you are supposed to be, so no opportunity to skip out on it.  

• If you take a digital camera and your cards get full, the guy in the photo shop will burn all your cards onto one CD and free up your cards to more. It was only $9 and he puts it in a case with a cute cover.
  
  
  

• Tahitian Princess 2004 Shore Excursion Brochure in PDF Format
• Tahitian Princess Webcam
• Princess First Timer Tips
• Tipping on Princess thread

Tahitian Princess Dining Hours

There are 5 airlines listed with flights to Papeete from LAX however only Air France, ATN and Air New Zealand fly direct from LAX.  Hawaiian Airlines flies from Honolulu on Saturdays. Quantus also lists flights out of LAX but I've found they are all flights operated by ATN, rather than Quantus themselves. 

I hear excellent reports on Air New Zealand although their arrival time is Papeete is 2:35AM!  Air France is a mixed bag.  I also understand one should preferably choose an ATN flight that originates in LAX rather than one that originates in Paris, as those passengers embarking in France, it seems, get the primo seats.

If you are Canadian going to the US - it is even cheaper to book one way at a time as on the return flight you do not have to pay the Canadian Taxes (GST & PST). Makes a difference of about $30 - $50 per ticket.  (Don't know if this is true but thot I'd add the comment in case it works for you.  My tickets are already bought but may be worth checking into.

To check for all flights going to Papeete from *X* embarkation point, this ITA site gives one an excellent starting point.

Overnight in LA:
For those living on or near the East Coast, the consensus is in favor of staying overnight at a hotel close to LAX. Connections, possible weather complications plus the airborne hours involved  suggest this is the wise decision if you want to enjoy your trip.  Priceline can supply you with a $50/$75 room at an excellent hotel.  If living on or close to the West Coast, it can be done in one day but leave yourself ample connection time.  In any case, the ideal would be planning to arrive in Papeete at least one day ahead to allow for jet lag catch-up so you are refreshed for your adventures! You've undoubtedly noted, we are flying Air Canada to LAX and Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles to Papeete. With some trepidation, (being a smoking person) I actually chose to do this in one swoop rather than spend an overnight in LA.  Hopefully, this will allow us a day in Papeete to adjust to the time differential, catch-up with our sleep and be refreshed for our TP adventure.

LAX Terminals:
LAX is a large and convoluted airport with several terminals.  Check this map for the terminal locations and this one lists each airlines usual arrival terminal.  However do check your incoming and outgoing flights as they may not arrive as their *usual* terminal. At IFlyLax you'll find an interactive map with each of the terminals being clickable.  Clicking (click on terminal name) produces a enlarged map of that terminal providing the location of the gates, shops, etc.  

Thru Put Luggage:
Check with your incoming (to LAX) carrier.  It may be possible to thru put your luggage, eliminating the need to handle anything but your carry-ons at LAX.  I'm given to understand the walk from Terminal 2 (arrival terminal for Air Canada) to Tom Bradley aka Terminal B (the departure terminal Air Tahiti Nui) is about 10 minutes.  
If you choose to thru put your luggage, it may be wise to pack a change of clothes & toiletries in your carry-on *just in case* your luggage takes a little longer to arrive than you do.  

Activities Between Flights:
If there is a long wait between flights, check out the Austin Powers-type restaurant in the Tall Round building in the middle of the parking lots. It is very cute and eclectic. Be sure to look at the bathrooms. It is all decorated in silver, purples, ultra-modern furniture - just like the Austin Powers movie. You don't have to eat there to just go have a look; however, the food is delicious, French cuisine, although pricey. Or, you may just want to have a drink and enjoy the view. In the Olden days (1960's??), the restaurant rotated. It fell dark for a decade or two until it was revived about 5 years ago. It no longer rotates but you can walk clear around it in a circle for a 360-degree view, and watch the planes.

Duty Free:
Though I've been unable to find a map indicating its location, I understand Tom Bradley International Terminal has a reasonably large Duty Free store located in the main part of the terminal.

Currency Exchange:
Every comment I've read says DO NOT do this here.  You get hosed big time!  Do this exercise at home or wait until you arrive in Papeete.  

• ATN departs from Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B)
• A small Duty Free store is located at the departure gate at LAX and another in the airport terminal in Papeete.
• Be at the gate a minimum of 1 hour before departure from LAX.  As ATN does not have their own jetway, a shuttle takes you out to board the plane on the tarmac.
• An upgrade to Biz Class can be requested at the ticket counter on check in.  To get these it's wise to get there early.  Upgrades are  $600US PP One Way on a space available basis. 
• 20% of Seats (including all exit row seats) are assigned only at airport.  Thus if you are dissatisfied with your seat assignment, early arrival at the ticket counter may result in an improvement.
• The ATN website did not accept Canadian postal codes so I had to book thru the 1-800#.  Still got the web price however.
• No e-ticketing - tickets are sent via FedEx.  This was an additional cost of $35.00 for Canada.
• Viewing screens for each seat give you a choice of 5-6 movies to choose from throughout the flight plus multiple games and a flight tracker which shows you exactly where you are at any given time.

• Currency Exchange is available at the airport via ATM and the exchange rate is considered to be quite reasonable.  However do be aware there is a service charge/commission attached (about $4.00USD) thus exchanging a small amount is becomes more costly.  
• It will take approximately one hour to get thru immigration and customs.
• A discussion on Taxi Rates information can be found here  
• Got hosed on the cab ride from the airport to the Sheraton - $50!! but you can't do much about alternative transportation at 5:00 am. So I don't recommend using the cabs unless you absolutely have to.  
• We took the LeTruck for $2.00 to the Beachcomber. The locals will tell you that it doesn't run after dark. That is not true. It actually runs until 9pm. Just make sure if you are going to the Beachcomber go across the airport parking lot, up the stairs and stand at the bus hut on the same side of the road as the airport. Le Meridian is a different story. Bus driver said it doesn't run because it is so far out. Not sure about that though.
• We have arrived to FAA airport much before sun rise and had no problems getting a taxi. The taxis charge a special fee to any trip before 6:00 am.
• Map of Faa'a Airport
• Before departure from PPT, remember to get your pearl receipt stamped just after you go through x-ray. 
• Forum discussion on spending time at the airport , where to get Le Truck, and other topics of interest.

• At  Te Tiare Resort, its reported that OWB # 37 is an excellent location & that the restaurant there is very   
   good.

• Tahaa - Hotel La Priogue is supposed to be good

• Marc's Huahine Nautique ~ Raved about almost without exception as the best excursion, not only on Huahine, but of the entire trip! 
  Comments:
• "HUAHINE: A MUST DO is MARC's MOTU picnic in . It was so much fun!! He takes you to a spot where there is a medium current and he lets you out to "drift" snorkel. No effort whatsoever, you just spread out your arms and float face down and drift over incredible underwater scenery. He follows in the boat and picks you up downstream a bit. If you have a problem of any sort raise your hand and he is right there. EVERYONE can do this, young and old. Don't just sit in the boat, you will regret it. His picnic is great, he makes poison cru (a great raw fish dish) and BBQ chicken and fish and has a couple guys playing music the whole time, and all this, picnic tables and all, is going on in about 12 inches of water, its a crack up. Don't forget the free Hinano beer, its really good. Marc has two canoes going, and if you can, get in the one with Armando, he does a better job of cruising past the shoreline and giving a little history of Huahine."
• CC Thread on Marc's Motu Picnic
• Marc’s Motu picnic -- The drift snorkeling was very fast. The picnic was delicious. The grilled tuna and barbeque chicken was really good. Remember, No bathrooms. The scenery from the boat is beautiful. It took about 1 1/2 hrs. to circle part of the island.  The water is deep enough that the coral heads are usually about 2 feet below the surface. Just relax and let the current take you. The boat will be there to pickup at the end. The food, drink and entertainment on the motu are great! The stop at the pearl farm was very good. If you are looking for a carved black pearl shell, this is the place to buy it. You will not find better quality or prices anywhere else.  

• Muri Lagoon is Beautiful. We booked the Muri Lagoon Cruise thru Princess and I wish we hadn't. It was nice, but I felt really rushed. You get to snorkel but the snorkeling is just OK (better in Moorea or Raitea). Then they take you to the motu in Muri Lagoon and it is really cool, like you're on survivor island - pretty and shady and you can walk easily from where they drop you to the other side (apx 300 yards) which faces the reef and the ocean. They do a pareo wrap demo (seen one, you seen em all) and a
  coconut opening demo, then they give you a BBQ which is just OK. (Nowhere near what Marc gives you in Huahine). I couldve spent hours here, but before you know it, you eat and they're getting you back in the boat. It was like a tease. We did the second cruise of the day and that was our mistake. If you do the earlier cruise and then want to stay, they will let you. Then you just take the shuttle back with the later crowd. To do it all
  over again, I would not book the tour. I would take the $3 shuttle to Muri Beach and eat lunch at the restaruant on the beach. Then you can actually walk or swim over to the Motu, its not that far out. Do all the snorkeling you want and spend your time leisurely. One more thing about Rarotonga: SHOP, SHOP, SHOP....the exchange rate is in our (US) favor and the prices are better here than anywhere. Too bad its only a one day stop.
  

• There is a beach at at the Rarotongan Resort. There is a better beach for snorkeling, but I can't remember the name of it. (See Below) You'll hear people talking about it. When you get off the tender, there will be people trying to sell you a circle island tour for $35 or something like that. This is one island where I would skip it. Either rent a car, rent a moped, or take the bus--the bus is quite cheap and you can get off and on when and where you like--you can catch it about 1/4 - 1/2 mile down the road from the tender in the little village. Also, this is one place where you might want some money, but can't change it on the ship. There is a bank 1/4 - 1/2 mile from the tender in the little village.  That's the best place to exchange--you'll only need to do that if you go to some little out of the way place to buy stuff. I bought some vanilla at a little roadside stand and had a challenge helping them figure out how to calculate it in USD, then again needed NZ money to buy a phone card. Restaurants, hotels, moped rental, etc. all took credit cards.  

• The best snorkeling is on Titikaveka on the south shore. Our taxi/tour for 6 was $20 pp, only about $12 US, so quite a bargain.

• We stopped at the beach across from the Raratonga Fruit Stand. The snorkeling was great. We saw starfish, sea snakes, and many colorful fish.
• Rent a car or motor scooter unless you want the thrill of a three wheel scooter (Fun Car). If you just want to go to the beach, use the shuttle bus from the tender pier. The beach across from the Raratonga Fruit Stand is beautiful and the snorkeling is great. Be sure to check out the fish nursery near the shore.